Diner owner speaks about closing

WINSTED — More details have emerged about the closing of The Winsted Diner at 496 Main St.The diner originally opened in 1931 and would have celebrated its 80th anniversary this year, but closed abruptly last month.The historic structure, which was previously owned by Bob Radocchio for more than 33 years, was gutted by an electrical fire in December 2005.It was eventually purchased by Jean Bauer, who closed the diner unexpectedly in early March.“It’s a real shame,” Bauer said. “There’s nothing I could do about it. I had no choice. I financially put everything I had into the diner, but I always ended up behind.”The diner was shipped on a flat-bed rail car from New Rochelle, N.Y., in 1931 and placed on a prepared foundation. The building survived the Great Flood of 1955, as well as the electrical fire 50 years later that ended the business for Radocchio. Bauer worked for more than two years to restore the diner’s original marble counter, tile floor and wooden stools.“From the very beginning, I started off with too much debt,” Bauer said. “Opening up the diner cost much more than I was told it would. I was originally told that I could open up in three to four months, but it ended up being three years because of the delays.”During the past three years, the diner was packed during mornings and weekends, with some customers waiting in the back for a seat.However, Bauer said, in the end, customer loyalty was not enough.“Whenever I raised my food prices, the food costs would go up,” Bauer said. “When the economy got bad, the people who would usually be at the diner two times a week would only show up once a week. People just didn’t come in as often, although I could understand that with the way the economy is. And when people would come in they would order less food. We also had competition from other restaurants in town that offered breakfast. Even Dunkin’ Donuts and convenience stores sell breakfast foods now.”After she closed the diner, Bauer started work as a cook at the recently opened Flippin’ Grill, located at 135 Main St.